Hierochloe

Hierochloe (Greek, hieros, holy, and chloe, grass). Gramineae. Fragrant perennial grasses with flat blades and terminal panicles; only rarely planted. Spikelets with 1 terminal perfect and 2 lateral staminate florets, usually shining brown.— Species about 13, temperate and arctic regions of both hemispheres. This genus contains the fragrant vanilla-grass, the sterile shoots of which are woven by the North American Indians into small mats, baskets and boxes. These retain their fragrance for years. The seed seems to be nowhere obtainable, and only one American dealer advertises plants of it. The odor is like that of the common perennial sweet vernal grass, Anthoxan- thum odoratum, but is more powerful. Hierochloe is closely allied to Anthoxanthum, but is distinguished by the staminate lateral florets and rather loose panicles, Anthoxanthum having sterile lateral florets and contracted panicles.

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